Joking About Courage
by mah29732
Summary: The Bagges have decided to vacation in Gotham of all places...what happens when the Joker kidnaps Muriel and steals Eustace's favorite chair he brings along?  Will the Dark Knight help out?
1. A Trip to Gotham

Joking About Courage

Chapter 1: A Trip to Gotham

It was yet a typical day for the Bagges as they were out vacationing to which Eustace was bringing his chair along the ride. They along with poor Courage were traveling to Gotham to see the sights there. They trio were content relaxing in their hotel room.

"I am so excited we're going to go to Gotham!" said Muriel with joy, "It'll be so wonderful!"

"Yeah, yeah, wonderful" continued Eustace who was sitting on his favorite chair.

"Oh, I know something bad is going to happen, I just know" sighed Courage.

"I think it looks like we're running low on cash, I know, Courage why don't we go to the bank together, Eustace you should come along" said Muriel.

"As long as I bring me chair with me, who cares" continued Eustace.

"That's the spirit" replied Muriel.

About several minutes later, the trio found themselves standing in line, with the exception of Eustace who was happily sitting comfortably in his chair.

"I can't believe he gets to sit in a chair" said a man standing a few paces away from the Bagges in another line.

"I'll take the next customer" said the teller who he then waved toward Muriel to come up.

"This is so exciting!" said Muriel as she was getting her account number ready.

Yet before she could do it, a grenade with laughing gas was thrown into the window nearby to which everyone obviously bursts out with laughter to which after the laughing gas, and the laughter stop did thuggish clowns come out of the scene with the likes of the Joker leading the pack.

"Gotham, the Clown Prince of Crime has returned to take your cash, now please if no one wants to get hurt, do as I say" laughed the Joker.

"Oh, I knew there was something that obviously was going to go wrong!" cried Courage.

The Joker then gazed at Eustace's favorite chair he was sitting on to which Eustace at first didn't care about the Joker's presence.

"Say buddy, you got a nice chair you're sitting in" said the Joker.

"Don't care about no stinking clown" said Eustace who sat in his chair continuing to read the paper.

"If you don't mind, we'll be taking it too!" laughed the Joker who snapped his finger to which one of his thuggish clownish goons grabbed the chair and literally dumped Eustace right off of it.

"Hey, that's my chair!" cried Eustace.

"This is now for the boss" replied the thuggish clown.

"Now please, please hurry it up, I got a tight schedule to make" said the Joker as his men were getting the money from the customers even snatching Muriel's purse.

"You brute, you're not a fun clown at all" said Muriel to the Joker.

"What's that, care to join in on the fun?" asked the Joker who recognized Muriel, "What's your name?"

"I'm Muriel Bagge, and I am putting my foot down, have your friend give me back my purse or there'll be trouble" continued Muriel.

"So, you like a fight?" laughed the Joker to which he snapped his finger to which another thuggish clown picked her up to which she began to scream for help.

"Muriel!" cried Courage who then fainted.

"My chair, my chair!" cried Eustace who was only concerned about his chair.

Yet as the Clown Prince of Crime was about to go any further, a Baterang came right through out of nowhere tearing a sack of money, to which the cash within the bag fell to the ground to which one of the thuggish clowns was carrying.

"It's time you start noticing that crime doesn't pay" said Batman appeared.

"Batman, always interfering with my plans!" cried the Joker to which he signaled two other clownish thugs, "Finish him off, while we'll be taking off!"

"Muriel!" cried Courage as he woke up noticing she was being taken away along with Eustace's chair.

"My chair, my chair!" cried Eustace as tears ran down his face.

Yet for the Dark Knight, he had to deal with two of the thuggish clowns that the Joker had sent after him. One tried to give the Dark Knight a good punch, and literally trying to slam him down flat on the ground to which he was able to dodge the attack. He then charged up to the thuggish clown and gave him an uppercut that was quite hard on his chin, sending the thuggish clown tumbling down. The second thuggish clown charged at the Dark Knight, and grabbed him literally trying to give him a bear hug of death.

"Oh no, I know I am not going to like this, but he's the only ticket to help me getting Muriel back" said Courage.

Courage then raced up to the thuggish clown who was indeed squeezing the Dark Knight to death, and bite the thuggish clown's leg to which the thuggish clown began to hop on his foot in pain. That obviously gave a chance for the Dark Knight to recover, and deliver a good punch at the thuggish clown sending him falling flat on the ground.

"Nice work" said Batman who noticed Courage, "say, you wouldn't happen to be the dog who belongs to the old woman who was kidnapped by the Joker, wouldn't you?"

Courage simply nodded showing a photo of him, along with also Eustace who was still btw, still sobbing over his chair being stolen by the Joker and his thugs.

"My chair, my chair!" cried Eustace to which he then noticed Batman, "Hey, you, you're the guy in the silly costume, can't you do anything better than being a hippie and get me chair back?"

"I'll try, we'll have to all go back to my Batcave for that" replied Batman.

Yet as the two were getting onboard Batman's Batmobile, back with poor Muriel who was being held hostage by the Joker, the Joker wanted to see if he could try to recruit her for his own purposes.

"So, you don't think I'm a funny clown do you?" asked the Joker.

"Not but the least" replied Muriel, "if I were a clown, I'd be a better clown than you."s

"Is that so?" laughed the Joker to which a thuggish clown was getting some make-up ready, "Let's see you wear the make-up and prove to me!"


	2. Brainwashing Muriel

Chapter 2: Brainwashing Muriel

A certain Clown Prince of Crime was determine to brainwash good old Muriel Bagge to become just like his fellow thuggish clowns. It would certainly be quite the obvious piece of work for the Joker who was pondering what to do about getting rid of Muriel's kindness.

"She has too much kindness wrapped around her!" said the Joker as he paced around his hideout.

"We can show her how fun it is to be one of us" said one of the thuggish clowns.

"Hmm, and how would you propose to get a sweet old lady like her to become as evil as me?" asked the Joker.

"Well, we can trick her that this is a clown college class" said a second thuggish clown.

"Hmm, I think I'll have no other choice but to go with your plan, if that's what we're aiming for" continued the Joker.

As the Joker then headed toward where Muriel was being held, she wasn't happy where she was, as it was quite dark. It was just then that the Joker himself appeared before her.

"Tell me you'll be letting me go" said Muriel.

"Actually, we have just decided to include you into our clown college course" said the Joker who knew this would trick Muriel.

"A clown college, but why were you robbing a bank?" asked Muriel.

"You see, the government is going to cut our education, so we had no alternatives" continued the Joker who thought up another good lie.

"But are there more peaceful ways which you could have gotten the money you wanted?" asked Muriel.

"We tried, and well, we couldn't do it the proper way" replied the Joker, "we have been harassed by the law's lawman known as the Batman for years because of this!"

"Oh my, he sounds like a terrible person" said Muriel who was already being hoodwinked.

"Yes, the big mean Dark Knight!" continued the Joker in his rant, "Always ruining my plans at every turn, but here, we have something that that he does not, and that's someone who he can never harm!"

"You mean me?" asked Muriel.

"Yes you!" roared the Joker with joy, "Old Bats will never suspect an old lady who is helping some clowns like us get some quick bucks here and there, it's only the right thing for you to do."

"I see your point, but how should I be able to act like you?" asked Muriel as she was being escorted by him out of her place which she was being held hostage.

"Easy, I can have some of my fellow classmates become part of your role for practicing to be like me" continued the Joker.

As the Joker's goons lined up, Muriel already had the make-up on, to which she was given an advanced joy-buzzer.

"Just shack hands with my men" continued the Joker.

"What's this for?" asked Muriel.

"You'll find out" laughed the Joker.

As Muriel shook a hand of one of the Joker's goons, an electrical shock went around their bodies to which they literally fainted.

"Oh my, I hope I didn't hurt him" said Muriel.

"Don't you see, he was happy that you shook his hand in that manner, and fainted because of so much joy because of it" continued the Joker.

As Muriel did the same with the rest of the Joker's henchmen, back at the Batcave, Courage was worried sick about what was going on with Muriel. Batman was at his computer console trying to figure out the Joker's next move.

"Hey hippie, why are you not trying to find my chair?" asked Eustace to Batman.

"Don't you care for your wife?" asked Batman who was busy at his computer.

"Er, yeah, that too, but I also want my chair!" continued Eustace.

"Patience, we must find out the next target where the Joker may strike, from there I can then track down the location of his new hideout" continued Batman.

"Oh, I know this won't end well" sighed Courage.

Suddenly, an image of a news report popped up on the computer screen showing the Joker striking at a museum this time.

"Let's role" said Batman as he along with Eustace and Courage headed to the Batmobile.

"I can't believe I have to be cramped up with a dumb dog!" cried Eustace who found out there was only one seat.

"We don't have time for this" continued Batman.

"There is no way I am going to sit in the same seat with the stupid dog" said Eustace as he decided to stay put.

"Fine, but you won't get your chair if I find the location of the hideout" continued Batman.

"Bah, move aside dog" said Eustace.

As Eustace had to compromise with the Dark Knight over sharing a seat with Courage, the Batmobile took off. At the museum, the Joker had hoped his plan would be full proof this time thinking that no one would suspect an old lady be responsible for robbing the bank.

"Boss, why are we going to stay out here?" asked one of the thuggish clowns.

"Don't you see, it's part of my plan" continued the Joker.

As the Joker escorted Muriel into the museum, the security guards were at first going to stop the two.

"Stop right there Joker, you know you're not welcomed so long as there are priceless, expensive artifacts here" said one of the security guards.

"My dear, please put on your charm" said the Joker to Muriel.

"Please, this man is just misunderstood, he and his fellow classmates from clown college just want to sell the art so that they can have enough money to afford a good education" said Muriel.

"Hmm, when you put it that way" said the second security guard who fell for the trick.

"Ha, it totally worked!" laughed the Joker to himself.

It was just then that the Batmobile came into the scene with the Dark Knight himself getting out of the vehicle.

"Where the heck did you take me chair!" roared Eustace at the Joker.

"You're sightseeing days are over, the only sightseeing you'll be doing is seeing the bars from within the prison" said Batman.

"I'm sorry Bats, but we can't let you do harm to this old lady" said the security guard as Muriel was literally taking expensive pictures off the wall.

"But that doesn't give her the right to take museum property" said Batman.

"Face it Bats, I got the law on my side this time!" laughed the Joker.

Batman felt puzzled what to do next as he knew he couldn't harm someone like Muriel who was being tricked into doing it, yet for Courage he knew he had to find a way to the hideout of the Joker's fast before they were to get off scot free.


	3. Muriel the Crook

Chapter 3: Muriel the Crook

Batman was caught in a conundrum as he couldn't harm Muriel who was robbing the museum, but he couldn't let her get away with it either.

"Ha Bats, you're out of luck this time!" laughed the Joker as his thuggish clowns were joining the security guards to protect Muriel.

"Listen Joker, you've gone too far this time in brainwashing an old lady like her to do your bidding" continued Batman.

"But so long as the rest of society believes she is doing something good, and you're doing something bad to stop her it doesn't matter to me" laughed the Joker as his men were loading the truck with the museum's property.

"Oh, there must be a way which I can help out" said Courage as he then began to sneak toward the truck which was only guarded by one clownish thug.

"That's right, just keep on loading them" said the clownish thug to his fellow goons who were loading items onto the truck.

Courage then noticed an Egyptian coffin which was quite perfect for him, although he wasn't too fond of mummies, it was the only option he had as a way to get Muriel out of her predicament. Batman knew what Courage was doing, and gave him a communicator.

"Here, track them where they may go next" said Batman.

"What about getting me chair back from them?" asked Eustace to Batman as the two were leaving.

"Sorry, I can't harm your wife if society believes she is doing a good cause for the Joker" continued Batman.

"Bah, it's so typical of you hippie to not do what you're suppose to be doing" continued Eustace.

As the two got into the Batmobile and headed off, the Joker felt he was quite well in the clear to commit a crime spree with Muriel at his side. Yet for a certain Courage, the poor pink dog who had snuck onto the getaway vehicle by Joker and his goons had to watch out for Muriel.

"So what place are we going to next?" asked Muriel to the Joker.

"Well, I was thinking of hitting a bank" replied the Joker, "you know, because the bank is suppose to donate money to us, and never does care about us."

"How horrible" replied Muriel.

As the Joker and his goons stopped at a bank, Muriel then got out of the truck and headed toward the bank itself with several armed security guards preparing to have a fight with the Joker and his goons.

"Sorry, but we can't let you in" said a security guard.

"But I am here for charity reasons" continued Muriel, "you see, the Joker is just misunderstood that all he wants to do is go to clown college."

The security guards ended up buying into her story, and allowed her into the bank to which she then was escorted to the front of the line.

"I can't believe this plan is working perfectly!" laughed the Joker.

Back inside the bank, the teller along with also the bank manager were loading the money into a bag that was given to Muriel earlier by the Joker.

"Thank you for your cooperation" said Muriel as she then took off with the bag filled with money.

As she then hopped onto the truck, the Joker was pleased with Muriel's work.

"Wow, I should have tried this on old Bats years ago!" laughed the Joker, "Who'd have not think that such a sweet old lady would be Bat's greatest villain!"

"Villain, is that how that horrible man in the bat suit sees you?" asked Muriel as the truck started its engine.

"Yeah" replied the Joker, "he always hated my ideas of how to run society in general."

"You poor thing" said Muriel to which Courage who was in the back was going to throw up after overhearing it.

"Oh, there must be a way which I can stop this truck" said Courage to himself.

Courage then had an idea which was to expose himself to the Joker's goons as he literally gout out of his hiding place revealing to where he was located.

"Hey, there's that dog!" cried one of the Joker's clownish thugs.

"Get him!" replied another.

"Courage?" asked Muriel as she turned her back.

The Joker tried to maintain control over the vehicle as Courage was purposely trying to move about in the back of the truck while also trying to dodge the Joker's goons whom were trying to apprehend him.

"What's going on back there?" cried the Joker who was still trying to maintain control over the wheel.

"It's that pink dog that Bats was with!" cried one of the clownish goons who was trying to run toward Courage.

Courage immediately headed right under between the legs of the clownish thug, and then hopped right into the front of the truck through breaking into the window of it.

"You!" cried the Joker.

"Courage!" cried Muriel.

As the Joker was trying to maintain control, but also try to get the pink dog, the truck veered out of control, literally crashing a few feet away from the Joker's hideout.

"Bah, that stupid dog!" cried the Joker.

It was just then that as the Batman was in his Batmobile with Eustace did he picked up that the Joker's getaway vehicle had crashed not far from his hideout with Courage using his communicator.

"Come on, before it's not too late" said Batman.

"Now you're talking, I'm finally going to get back me chair!" laughed Eustace.

As everyone in the Joker's getaway vehicle were recovering from the accident, Courage was then trying to escape the Joker who was racing after him right into his hideout.

"There has to be a way for me to help out Muriel!" cried Courage.

"Ha, there you are!" cried the Joker as he and his thuggish clowns caught up with him.

"What are you going to do with Courage?" asked Muriel who was finally realizing a bit who the Joker really was.

"Why, er, we're going to give him a course on what clown college is really all about, so that he wouldn't be as misunderstood as you once were" continued the Joker.

"Oh how lovely" replied Muriel.

"Oh, I know I am not going to like this" sighed Courage.


	4. A Lesson on Jokes

Chapter 4: A Lesson on Jokes

Poor Courage soon found himself captive of the Joker who was certainly going to do the poor pink dog some harm.

"Oh, I know it won't end well" sighed Courage who was tied up.

"First lesson in clown college" said the Joker to which his thuggish clowns held up some pies, "we pie the poor sap!"

The Joker's clownish thugs then threw the pies right at Courage's face, which the Joker was sitting comfortably in Eustace's chair watching it go on.

"Oh my!" cried Muriel who couldn't believe what was going on.

"Don't worry my dear, that pink dog will be fine" continued the Joker who was obviously lying to her.

As Courage was continued to be pelted by pies by the Joker's clownish thugs, the Joker signaled them to stop to which Courage was being taken to another area. There, the clownish thugs began to use a buzzer on poor Courage as they continued to shake hands with him giving him quite an electric shock.

"Isn't that a bit too much?" asked Muriel.

"Nonsense!" laughed the Joker as his thuggish clowns continued to do it.

It was finally time for the shark tank for Courage, as he was being carried on a crane controlled by one of the clownish thugs right over the shark tank that was filled with great whites.

"Really now, is this necessary?" asked Muriel.

"Listen dear, I want you to know that being a clown can not be an easy life for us" said the Joker, "but we're going to show you with this pink dog that it is fun!"

It was just then that the Dark Knight came crashing into the scene with his Batmobile along with Eustace who was in the shotgun seat of the Batmobile.

"Hey, that's my chair!" cried Eustace as he was trying to get out, "What the heck do you think you're doing in my chair?"

"Your fun is over Joker, it's time to tell the old lady why you really want her" said Batman.

"Yes, why is that man in that bat suit always following you, I am getting second thoughts that this isn't for some clown college course at all" added Muriel.

"Er, well, er" said the Joker to which he then grabbed Muriel, "alright Bats, don't make any sudden movements or she'll join the pink dog who'll be going into the shark tank!"

As Batman hesitated to go after the Joker, Courage knew it was all up to him, as he was swinging his way right out of harm's way, he managed to break free of being literally tied up. He landed right in front of the Joker.

"Leave her alone!" roared Courage as he began to growl.

"Stay back you stupid dog!" replied the Joker.

"That's what I always tell him, you stupid dog, you stupid dog" said Eustace, "and get out of my chair!"

"Never!" laughed the Joker, "I will not be defeated so easily!"

The Joker then snapped his finger to which his thuggish clowns began to charge at Courage, the Dark Knight and Eustace.

"Dumb dog, now look what you did!" cried Eustace as he was running for his life.

Eustace hopped right back into the Batmobile, while closing it leaving the Dark Knight and the pink dog to face those thuggish clowns alone.

"Ha, ha, whoa, this looks sweet" said Eustace as he was looking at the controls of the Batmobile.

"I know something bad is going to happen" said Courage as he trying to avoid capture of the thuggish clowns.

The pink dog headed for the shark tank, and swung on the rope that he was formerly tied to which the thuggish clowns whom were following him fell in the shark tank, but thankfully were not eaten by the sharks as they ran out of the shark tank screaming.

"Bah, you can never find good help these days" said the Joker who was observing it while still sitting in Eustace's chair.

"You, hippie clown boy, get out of my chair!" roared Eustace who was at the wheels of the Batmobile with its engines still on.

"This can't be good" said Batman as he knocked out a thuggish clown.

Eustace then placed the Batmobile in full throttle heading straight toward the Joker to which Muriel and the Joker both got out of the way just in the nick of time, too bad for Eustace's own favorite chair which he happened to destroy it in the process.

"Stupid hippie clown, look what you made me do to me chair!" roared Eustace.

"Now, now, we can get a bit carried away, help me Bats!" cried the Joker to which Batman had no other choice.

As Eustace turned the Batmobile targeting the Joker, Batman had no other choice but to save the Joker's life as he swooped down with using his grappling hook saving him. The two leaped right toward where the shark tank was located.

"Ha, I thought a hippie looked familiar under that costume, saying the behind of another hippie!" said Eustace.

"Hey, he sounds crazier than me" laughed the Joker referring to Eustace.

Eustace once again charged toward the shark tank.

"Move it!" cried Batman as he and the Joker got out of the way once again.

Poor Eustace then began to run off as he caused a flood of sharks to start chasing him, as for the Batmobile, it was quite totaled because of what Eustace did.

"So, no hard feelings about this, right Bats?" asked the Joker.

The scene then changes to the Joker behind bars, in a police van with his thuggish clowns also there as well.

"What about Eustace?" asked Muriel to Batman.

"I am sure he'd turn up somehow" replied Batman.

The scene then changes again to Eustace out in a lonely island surrounded by the sharks that he had freed, not far from Gotham.

"Stupid Gotham, I knew it was a bad idea!" cried Eustace, "And I still miss my chair!"

The scene ends from there with Eustace crying for his chair.


End file.
